Improvements in apparatus for making metal floor panels



Nov. 26, 1935. J MITCHELL 2,021,893

IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL FLOOR PANELS Filed Sept.8,1955 .2 Sheets-Sheet l IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING METALFLOOR PANELS LE A A IJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII J. A. MITCI-IIELL FiledSept." 8, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I uvvgwram Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL FLOORPANELS Application September 8, 1933, Serial No. 688,628

6 Claims.

My invention relates to the construction and/ or erection of metalflooring and comprises an improved method of securing together, bywelding or otherwise, the sections making up such metal flooring to formpanels, and apparatus for supporting such sections during the securingoperation.

One object of my invention is to provide a simple and efiicient supportfor the sections whereby the welding or other operation for connectingthe sections together may be readily carried out.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the metalsections may be given an arch or camber when assembled in said supportand held in such position for the welding or other securing operationwhereby the arch or camber will be maintained after the fioor panelstructure is completed.

These and other features of my invention are more fully describedhereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, more orless diagrammatic in character, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a plurality ofinterconnected metal members, in the present instance, channel sections,connected together to form a floor panel.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a frame which I employ to support the metalsections in the development of metal floor panels in accordance with myinvention.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the frame shown in Fig. 2, partly in section,on the line IIIIII.

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the frame shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a supporting structurein which the frameshown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 may be mounted for rotative movement.

Fig. 6 is a similar View, diagrammatic in character illustrating otherpositions of the frame in its support.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line VIIVII, Fig. 2,looking in the direction of the arrow x, and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line VIII-VIII,

Fig. 7, illustrating a detail of my invention.

The application of Joseph G. Shryoc'k for patent for Improvements infloor construction, filed'August 1, 1931, Serial No. 554,531, (nowPatent No. 1,933,394, dated October 31, 1933) describes an improved typeof metal fioor construction involving the employment of a series ofinterconnected metallic membersusually channel sections-which may be andpreferably are prepared for erection or use in the form of panels.

In preparing this type of metal flooring'for of one section to the webof another, in their in- 10- terconnected relation.

It is further desired to impart a curvature or camber to these sectionslengthwise of the same, which curvature or camber is that desired forthe roadway provided by the bridge decking.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved method ofassembling these metal floor sections'whereby they may be properlysupported during the connecting operation, which may be the welding stepreferred to, and at the same 20 time provide means whereby a camber orarch may be imparted to said sections.

In preparing these panels from a group of assembled metal sections, suchas .those indicated at A, for instance, I provide a table or support 25which may comprise a frame made up of longitudinal members 10, which maybe I-beams, and cross-members II and I2, disposed at the ends of thesame and suitably secured together as by welding. The end cross-memberscarry trun- 30 nions. l3 whereby the frame may be pivotally mounted insuitable supports or bearings so that it may bedisposed in angularpositions, as hereinafter described.

This frame is of sturdy construction and is 35 adapted to receivebetween the longitudinal members I0 a. plurality of adjustablecross-members l5 which may rest on the flanges of the I-beams and whichserve as a support for the several sections of metal channel sections,or the like, to make up the floor panel, which sections are laid uponthe frame lengthwise of the same. The frame or table may be providedwith a fixed stop 16 at one end of the same against which 45 one endofeach of the metal sections is abutted. At the opposite end, anadjustable abutment ii is provided which may be disposed in relativelyfixed position by bolts l8. This member may be brought against the endsof the channel members and held in the desiredposition by means of screwbolts I9 which may pass through fixed nuts 20 carried by one of thefixed cross-members I2. The frame also carries stops 2| against whichone of the channel members may be laid when they are assembled upon theframe in the production of a panel.

After these channel sections have been laid upon the frame, they arebrought into such position that their adjacent flanges are in closerelation, such flanges having beveled contacting faces at the sameangle, and wedging blocks 22, of metal, wood, or the like, may beemployed to hold them in this position during the securing or weldingoperation.

After the group of channel or other metal members to form the panel arefinally positioned, they are clamped to the pivotal bed or table. Forthis purpose, I provide a series of cross-members 25 which may bemounted on bolts 26 carried by the I-beams I0, such members 25 beingclamped to the frame by nuts 26 on said bolts 26. The cross-members 25overlie the cross members and insure that the several channel membersmaking up the floor panel are held rigidly to the frame.

In order that the frame with the assembled sections in position to besecured together as welding or otherwise may be mounted for angularpositioning to facilitate the securing of such sections, preferably bywelding, I provide a frame or support consisting of end members 30,having notches 3| in their upper ends adapted to receive the trunnionsI3. These notches may be squared, as indicated in the drawings.

After the several sections making up apanel have been mounted upon thecarrying frame and clamped thereto, such frame may be picked up by atraveling crane hoist or the like, and its trunnions disposed in thenotched portions of the members 30. In such mounting, the frame may beturned to any desired angular position to facilitate the weldingoperation. As shown in Fig. 5, the frame has been tilted to present tothe left the upper surface of the assembled metal sections making up thefloor panel, and this will permit the operator to weld the sectionstogether at the most convenient points.

These welds, which are preferably made at intervals, are shown at a, a;b, b; c, c; d, d; et seq. in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. In making these welds,the operator starts at or approximately the centre of the panel, at a,for instance, and works toward the end of the sections making up thepanel, the welds a, a et seq., being made successively. The welds b, I),et seq., are then made successively toward the opposite end of thepanel, and each group of welds is made in this manner. This method ofexecution makes it possible to follow a definite procedure in placingthewelds so that the locked up stresses produced by welding are kept to aminimum.

When one set of welds has been effected, the frame may be turned to theposition shown by dotted lines, Fig. 5, and the other welds, indicatedat c, c; d, d, upon the same side or face of the panel may be effected.After this welding operation on one side or face of the panel has beencompleted, the frame may be turned, as indicated by the broken lines,Fig. 6, to bring the other or what may be termed the under side of thepanel into the proper position for welding, and the necessary welds maybe made on the under side of the panel in the same manner as those madeupon the upper side or face of the same, the frame being subsequentlytilted to the position indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 6, to completethe welds on this under side or face of the panel.

To facilitate the turning movement of the frame to the desired angularpositions, it may carry at one end a fixed wheel 35 having spoke teeth36 to be engaged by the hook at the end of a crane hoist.

When the desired angular position has been 5 support of the frame isprovided with a crosspiece disposed the desired distance above the.plane of the frame, which may be a rounded bar 40, welded in place, asshown in Figs. 3, 7 and 8. The metal sections are laid over thisprojecting portion and additional supports All at proper heights arecarried by the other crossmembers so that the camber or arch can becalculated to a desired nicety. At the sides of the panel where theouter flange of the metal section is spaced from the contacting part,filling members 3/ may be employed, as indicated in Fig.

7. The clamping cross pieces are held down against the metal sectionsover the projections 40 and 4| to produce the camber or arch, and whenthe sections have been welded in the man 25 ner described while in thisposition, a panel with the desired camber or arch will have beenproduced.

The skeleton frame or table upon which the sections making up the panelare mounted and assembled is subject to severe stress, especially when acamber or arch is being produced, and to insure against the distortionof the longitudinal members II], I provide the tension bars 42 which mayhave their ends welded to the under side of said members l0.

It will be understood that the adjustable abutment I 7 permits variouslength sections to be properly assembled upon the frame. If necessary,filling blocks or plates may be employed between the abutments and theends of the assembled channel members.

In practice, it is desirable to have a number of frames in use uponwhich the metal sections to form floor panels may be assembled. Theseframes are then lifted into and out of the supports 3|] as fast as thewelder can secure together the sections making up each panel.

While I have shown more or less specific embodiments of my invention, itwill be understood that changes may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the same as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a reversible supporting frame adapted to receive aplurality of metal channel sections. in interconnected relation meansindependent of the frame for holding the flanges of said channelsections in close engagement, clamping means for holding said metalsections to one face of the frame in assembled condition preliminary toan operation for permanently securing said metal sections into a floorpanel unit, trunnions carried by the ends of the frame, and a support inwhich the trunnions of said frame may be rotatably mounted.

2. The combinationof a reversible supporting frame adapted to receive aplurality of metal channel sections in interconnected relation, meansindependent of the frame for holding the flangesof said channel sectionsin close engagement, clamping means for holding said metal sections toone face of the frame in assembled condition, and means carried by theframe and cooperating with the clamping means for springing said metalsections intermediate their ends to impart a bend or camber theretopreliminary to an operation for permanently securing said metal sectionsintoa floor panel unit.

3. The combination of a support, a skeleton frame having end trunnionsmounted therein for movement with respect to the same and adapted toreceive a plurality of metal channel sections in interconnectedrelation, means independent of the frame for holding the flanges of saidchannel sections in close engagement, clamping means for holding saidmetal sections to one face of the frame in assembled condition, andmeans carried by the frame and cooperating with the clamping means forspringing said metal sections intermediate their ends to impart a bendor camber thereto preliminary to a welding operation for permanentlysecuring said metal sections into a floor panel unit.

4. The combination of a support or horse comprising a plurality ofspaced A-frames, a skeleton table made up of longitudinal andcrossmembers, trunnions carried by the ends of said table and adapted tobe mounted in said A-frames whereby said table may be movably mountedwith respect thereto, means for holding said table in adjustedpositions, clamping means for holding a plurality of metal sections tosaid table in assembled position, and means carried by the table andcooperating with the clamping means for bending said sectionslongitudinally thereof and holding them in bent position preliminary toconnecting said sections in permanent relation.

5. The combination of a supporting frame comprising longitudinal sidemembers, cross members permanently connecting the ends of saidlongitudinal side members, independent cross members adjustably mountedwith respect to said side members to form a skeleton table; said crossmembers having an upper surface in the plane of the upper surface of theside members, a fixed stop at one end of said frame, an adjustable stopat the opposite end of said frame; said frame being adapted to receive aplurality of independent channel members in interconnected relation,clamping means overlying said channel members whereby they may be heldin predetermined position on the frame, means independent of the framefor holding the flanges of said channel members in close abuttingrelation, and means carried by the frame and cooperating with theclamping means for imparting a curvature to said channel memberslongitudinally of the same.

6. The combination of a supporting frame comprising longitudinal sidemembers, cross members permanently connecting the ends of saidlongitudinal side members, independent cross members adjustably mountedwith respect to said side members to form a skeleton table; said crossmembers having an upper surface in the plane of the upper surface of theside members, a fixed stop at one end of said frame, an adjustable stopat the opposite end of said frame; said frame being adapted to receive aplurality of independent channel members in interconnected relation,clamping means overlying said channel members whereby they may be heldin predetermined position on the frame, means independent of the framefor holding the flanges of said channel members in close abuttingrelation, means carried by the frame and cooperating with the clampingmeans for imparting a curvature to said channel members longitudinallyof the same, and tension means carried by the longitudinal side membersof the frame for maintaining them in alignment under the stress of theclamping and curve-imparting means.

JOHN A. MITCHELL.

